A wave of demolition hit the Mavoko area in Athi River, Kenya, as a group of over 100 men invaded the residential area, destroying homes and property worth millions of shillings. The incident, which occurred for the second day, has left homeowners reeling, with some accusing the individuals behind the demolitions of taking advantage of a pending court case to dispossess them of properties they claim to have legally acquired over a decade ago.
The land dispute involves Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), which had provided a loan to East African Portland Cement Company. After the loan accumulated, Portland handed over the prime piece of land to KCB as a way of paying the debt. KCB then decided to sell the land to members of the community who had already settled there, having acquired the plots through the Syokimau-Mavoko Land Buying Association in 2014.
However, residents claim that KCB exaggerated the price, making it difficult for them to afford. Despite this, they obtained a court injunction restraining KCB from interfering with their properties pending the determination of the legal dispute. Nevertheless, the demolitions began, with several structures reportedly destroyed as helpless homeowners watched their investments being reduced to rubble.
One of the affected homeowners, Zakaria Lukman, said he had invested over Sh30 million in his property, only to see it destroyed. Lukman described the incident as devastating, saying he could not understand why anyone would resort to demolitions when the matter was still pending in court. He called on the government and relevant security agencies to intervene urgently and establish who authorised the operation.
Another affected resident, Evans Sanja, who operates a tractor yard in the area, said his property worth millions of shillings had also been destroyed during the demolition exercise. Sanja appealed to the government to intervene and address the matter once and for all, asking who would compensate them for their losses.
Athi River police boss Carolyne Jebet denied that her officers were involved in shielding the goons who were on the demolition spree. While promising to visit the site on Monday next week, Jebet said investigations are underway into who authorised the operations. Efforts to get a comment from the Kenya Commercial Bank management were fruitless as calls went unanswered.
The developments have sparked outrage, with residents questioning how such an operation could proceed when a court order allegedly protecting their properties remains in force. The incident has left many wondering about the role of KCB in the land dispute and the fate of the affected residents, who are now facing uncertainty and destruction despite believing that the law was on their side.
Key points
- - A group of over 100 men demolished homes in Athi River, Kenya, amid a land dispute between residents and Kenya Commercial Bank. - The land dispute involves Kenya Commercial Bank, which had provided a loan to East African Portland Cement Company. - Residents claim to have legally acquired the properties over a decade ago and had obtained a court injunction restraining KCB from interfering with their properties.
